NANCY SCHWARTZ

1943 - 2019

NANCY SCHWARTZ  
On Thursday July 11, 2019, NANCY SCHWARTZ, age 75, died peacefully of complications from Multiple System Atrophy, a disease she battled for six years. Her family was by her side. Nancy was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1943, to Vincent and Marian Beinke. She loved Iowa farm life. At age 16, she moved to suburban Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Austin College in Sherman, Texas, and earned her MA in museum administration from the graduate school at Cooperstown, New York. Nancy worked for a decade at the Historic American Buildings Survey (National Park Service) as an architectural historian before choosing to raise her two children at home. She volunteered her time, effort and expertise to the preservation of many DC buildings, usually in league with the group "Don't Tear It Down" (now the DC Preservation League). Among the major buildings she successfully worked to preserve were the Franklin School and the Warner Theater. She was co-author of the popular book "What Style Is It?", published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In 1985, she moved with her family to Garrett Park, MD, where she continued to work on historic preservation. Nancy will live on through her family and many friends. She is survived by her husband, Ken Schwartz, her children, Claire (Adam) Litwin and Dan Schwartz (Dana Slone), sisters, Janet Beinke and Charlene Sainsott, grandchildren Trixie and Hugo Litwin and Nora Schwartz. She loved her familiy deeply. A graveside ceremony will be held on Sunday, July 14, 2019, 11 a.m. at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery in Adelphi, MD. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Arrangements entrusted to TORCHINSKY HEBREW FUNERAL HOME, 202-541-1001.